Animal farming

[Guil]

As long as the bucket is tipped forward at any angle you can clean the feeding areas with ease.

[ErwinR55]

First I hate conveyros, second they'd be in the way of trucks / tractors when feeding and third: yes, these pigs spill a lot of corn, but cleaning takes actually just a few seconds. What you want is to set the right angle on your wheel-loader's bucket, so it picks up corn and spills it back in the trough at the same time.

That's why I set them up INSIDE the pigpen, not bother with them ever at all

As long as the bucket is tipped forward at any angle you can clean the feeding areas with ease.

I dunno if it was the map or not, but my bucket was always bumping onto the ground at places I was getting tired of

[Guil]

Yeah I've noticed that too. I think it's the edge of the cleaning area. Happens much more if you have the bucket dug into the ground lol.

[masterplan]

First I hate conveyros, second they'd be in the way of trucks / tractors when feeding and third: yes, these pigs spill a lot of corn, but cleaning takes actually just a few seconds. What you want is to set the right angle on your wheel-loader's bucket, so it picks up corn and spills it back in the trough at the same time.

That's why I set them up INSIDE the pigpen, not bother with them ever at all

Aha. But that would render my JCB parked there almost useless.

As long as the bucket is tipped forward at any angle you can clean the feeding areas with ease.

I dunno if it was the map or not, but my bucket was always bumping onto the ground at places I was getting tired of

Yep, it's quite easy and fast even when those pigs spill more than 120 000 L of corn.

[ErwinR55]

Aha. But that would render my JCB parked there almost useless.

Well, you do need it to lift the belts into the pigpen
But one less vehicle to scroll through when going to other vehicles is so delightfull

[masterplan]

I could drive through on Lawfolds, but I'd still need it for refilling manure spreaders every now and then. Though I might try this belt trick at sheeps.

[RODHA]

Masterplan, how long have you been playing on Lawfolds?
I'm back again and wondered what is your time stamp on it.
I guess, somewhere between 750-1000 hrs?

This is my 3rd time and good this map never gets old.
It is amazing. I've a lot of different plans this time.
But I'm looking forward to hear some ideas and suggestions from you

Ps. 1000 sheep and just 100 pigs for the time being. Planning on cows just about 500 and then gradually pile them up along with the sheep. Definitely not the pigs. They are there just for showcase purposes Besides, I like the noises they make

[BigC92]

Ok, now, i have a bit of a problem, me and my cousin were playing my GCV map save, now last week i had 60 pigs, now i just looked today i have 157 pigs, my eyes just jumped out of my skull, this was last week, did i miss something or what? Before you go asking, no i didn't buy any.

[RODHA]

I hope they didn't reproduce while the game is off !!!

If there is no such sorcery then it is pretty much normal cause they just eat and reproduce at an alarming rate. Oh, yeah and they fart alot

[masterplan]

I've posted statz here recently. Previous page, marked it spoiler though. Anyway now I'm a bit over 400 hours. Actually if you don't bother by forestry and have everything well planned, it goes quite fast. Actually you need forestry to get rid of the small forest just below pigs. Then I did a few in the begginings, but that's not important.

Now as you want my tips, here they are.
What is important for me is my style of play. I have the map divided into 5 zones as there are 4 growth stages + 1 ready to harvest stage. Check my zones below. The trick is playing on slow plant growth to be able to manage everything. The second trick is never seed in the same phase as you harvest, or better said don't try to seed the same field you just harvested in the same phase. You might miss it. Always wait for the next one. This is especially handy when you need to skip rain, fog (which is especially annoying) and sometimes, but just sometimes, the night. So when fields are ready to harvest, I harvest them, feritlise, plow if necessary, cultivate. Simply everything but seeding. Oh and with the exception of phase 1, which is one giant field, within each phase I have groups of fields that require plowing, so I never have to plow all fields within that phase at the same time. Keep in mind, that phase 5 is tha smallest with only approx. 45 ha. Phases 2-4 are approx. 50-55 ha and phase 1 is 64 ha.
And I failed to mention I own all fields but 10 and 38. I don't want them.

A shot from a planning phase


Actual ingame screenshot


I'm in no rush as I've been before, or better said with a farm this huge, you got always a lot of stuff to do, so just 1 plow on a medium size field (10-25 ha) is enough as in the meantime I do other stuff. For example this weekend, I used just 1 tractor with the Horsch seeder to plant corn of fields 6 and 7. I simply had a lot of work to do myself, so why bother driving second tractor there.
I always have a lot of manure and slurry. In fact so much that yesterday my pigs' slurry was full. So after a harvest, I always use manure spreader to fertilise my fields. Then it depends, what to do next:
1. Sometimes the field does not require plowing and I know I'll be seeding barley or canola, therefore there's no need for cultivation, so that's just it. Spread the manure and wait.
2. Sometimes the field does not require plowing and I know I'll be seeding corn. Now with the exception of phase 1, I use Zunhammer slurry tanks with cultivator. The field gets cultivated + twice fertilised. In phase one I use Bug Bug + the Flexicoil cultivator that goes sideways + then a T9 with Veenhuis slurry tank.
3.Sometimes the field does require plowing. Then it's time for the Agrisem subsoiler and then either T9 with Veenhuis slurry tank on bigger fields or Zunhammer without cultivator on smaller ones.

As you noticed, I use a lot of slurry for fertilising and as especially with the Veenhuis it tends to run out quickly when you to the headlands yourself, I've got strategically placed several Kotte 55k L tanks on the map for a quick refill. B-)

1000 sheep? You masochist! The palette handling is soooo idiotic. What I do is I don't attempt to grab the pallet with fork where it is. Instead, I drive from the other side through the garage and push the palettes out to a more level ground and then I load them.

Actually I was thinking: maybe we can play together sometimes? I'd give you a quick tour 'round my Lawfolds?

Btw. Rodha if you consider this question rude, just ignore it: you turkish guys don't eat pork? You're muslim or something? I think muslims don't eat pork, do they? Me? I love pork! And fish. Do you know, what is the best fish? Pork!

P.S. this is my calculation of what's need to feed 15 000 pigs.

[RODHA]

Well, I really don't know where to start. But first of all, thank you very much for taking your time and writing that long reply
If Guil won't ban me I'll continue with partial quotes.

I've posted statz here recently. Previous page, marked it spoiler though.

I've 2 jobs currently and one is being the IT guy. So, I'm a bit paranoid on clicking buttons if I don't know what they contain
Occupational hazard at it's best. Looking into those stats; 400hrs of game play and not a single bale and you don't bother with the eggs. They are worth $9 each. And given your fuel usage, you should have your own oil well.

Actually you need forestry to get rid of the small forest just below pigs.

I love that small forest. I use the big one near the highland grains.

What is important for me is my style of play. I have the map divided into 5 zones as there are 4 growth stages + 1 ready to harvest stage...

I kept the quote small as I don't want to use too much space. But that is a very well thought plan with a lot of labor in it. On my side though, the thing is I use fast growth but don't rush to do anything. Withering is off so I just do things however or whenever I want to do them. My life in day to day basis is a bit too planned. Because I've a tiny bit of OCD and I don't even dump the trash without planning it. So, the game is kinda having a break to all that planning

Keep in mind, that phase 5 is tha smallest with only approx. 45 ha. Phases 2-4 are approx. 50-55 ha and phase 1 is 64 ha.
And I failed to mention I own all fields but 10 and 38. I don't want them.

Well, seeing that map has chaged a lot of things now. Before I thought F24 is a huge field and I've to buy it. Now, it looks tiny and thanks to you, I've to buy and combine all those fields like you did.

As you noticed, I use a lot of slurry for fertilising and as especially with the Veenhuis it tends to run out quickly when you to the headlands yourself, I've got strategically placed several Kotte 55k L tanks on the map for a quick refill.

As a suggestion, if you haven't already done it, get a holmer terra variant, put the slurry tank on it and then attach the veenhuis. You'll get 51k liters of capacity.

1000 sheep? You masochist! The palette handling is soooo idiotic. What I do is I don't attempt to grab the pallet with fork where it is. Instead, I drive from the other side through the garage and push the palettes out to a more level ground and then I load them.

Good solution. But I usually don't let them pile up. When one pallet is full, I move it right away, of course if it is not at the back raw.

Actually I was thinking: maybe we can play together sometimes? I'd give you a quick tour 'round my Lawfolds?

I would really like to work in your farm as a farm hand What is your time zone? Where are you? I hope we can fix a common time. Send me a PM when you want to.

Btw. Rodha if you consider this question rude, just ignore it: you turkish guys don't eat pork? You're muslim or something? I think muslims don't eat pork, do they? Me? I love pork! And fish. Do you know, what is the best fish? Pork!

No not at all. No rude here Actually you're right. Turkey is a muslim country but the problem is religon is a given commodity not a chosen one. Which is quite wrong. But it is what it is. A new born baby is considered as muslim both legally and culturally. But you have the freedom to change it if you want to. Me on the other hand don't believe anything. Infact, I'm strongly against the concept of belief itself. Not just in religion wise but any kind of belief. It is just wrong imo. Because, belief comes from lack of knowledge. If you start a sentence as "I believe..." make a background check, I bet you'll find some lack of knowledge about the subject. Because, if you have enough knowledge, you wouldn't need to believe instead you "know"... So, I'm pretty ok with pork and I love it. Unfortunately it is very hard to find in Turkey and even if you find they are usually quite low in quality.

There is a mod on PC where you can use pigs as a source of pork production. I'm not sure though. If that kind of mod makes it's way to PS4, I'll definitely get into pig business. Until then, they are just a showcase material to me.

P.S. this is my calculation of what's need to feed 15 000 pigs.

Those stats are plain crazy but very well done my friend.
You are really commited to those tiny little cute things don't you?

[Guil]

Just joking

[masterplan]

I don't think Guil's gonna skin us alive as we're in off-topic section... But we actually are quite on-topic...

Looking into those stats; 400hrs of game play and not a single bale and you don't bother with the eggs. They are worth $9 each. And given your fuel usage, you should have your own oil well.

Why would I bother with eggs? I never do, there more efficient ways to make money.
Nope, not one single bale. Why bother? Loading wagon is way more convenient.
We here in Czech Republic have subsidies on diesel for agriculture, or at least they don't pay taxes. Anyway they've got quite cheap diesel. And so I don't care about fuel consuption. I like big tractors. And even harvesters use a lot of fuel.

I love that small forest. I use the big one near the highland grains.

It's in a way, I got rid of it and put shome sheds in there. Took you a screenshot yesterday, unfortunatelly it's during night-time. Yeah, sometimes I have to play even in the night.

But that is a very well thought plan with a lot of labor in it. On my side though, the thing is I use fast growth but don't rush to do anything. Withering is off so I just do things however or whenever I want to do them. My life in day to day basis is a bit too planned. Because I've a tiny bit of OCD and I don't even dump the trash without planning it. So, the game is kinda having a break to all that planning

I understand that. I also plan a lot IRL, but planning where to seed corn and where barley etc. is for me a different kind of planning. A relaxing one.

Well, seeing that map has chaged a lot of things now. Before I thought F24 is a huge field and I've to buy it. Now, it looks tiny and thanks to you, I've to buy and combine all those fields like you did.

Well of course, there's nothing like having a proper 64 ha field.

As a suggestion, if you haven't already done it, get a holmer terra variant, put the slurry tank on it and then attach the veenhuis. You'll get 51k liters of capacity.

I do have Holmer, but I use it as manure spreadear and slurry-cultivator, mostly on fields close to the farm, occasionally somewhere else. But I wouldn't try to tow a full Veenhuis with it. It'd be too lazy. Even 550 hp T9 has got what to do with it. It's heavy.

Good solution. But I usually don't let them pile up. When one pallet is full, I move it right away, of course if it is not at the back raw.

You've got time for this? I usually move pallets after receiving the "No more space for placing palettes" message. Yesterday in the middle of harvest, I just bumped them away with a nearby Fendt 300.

So now you know, you can safely click the spoiler button, I'm gonna finish harvesting sunflower, feed it to the pigs and finally sell some. I wanna keep them at around 15 000.

[RODHA]

Why would I bother with eggs? I never do, there more efficient ways to make money.
Nope, not one single bale. Why bother? Loading wagon is way more convenient.

Yes convenience and effcient work is good but I like picking up the eggs and selling them in mass.
But I couldn't be able to live that dream of "selling at least 1000 eggs in one go" yet because I didn't spend enough time in any map to do this.
However, I'm confident that I'll do this time on Lawfolds.

On the bale part, I like baling. But up to a degree. Because it can become frustrating too quickly and as you know we are limited to 200 in consoles.
So, I'll do baling at some point but just for fun probably. Not for the sake of the farm.

It's in a way, I got rid of it and put shome sheds in there. Took you a screenshot yesterday, unfortunatelly it's during night-time. Yeah, sometimes I have to play even in the night.

Just this morning, before I go to work, played for about an hour and was thinking why would you cut that forest. Then I thought "may be he used this space to put some sheds" and I was like "yeah, that could be pretty birilliant". Now I saw this image

There is one thing I want to ask you though. What do you do with your machinery? Where do you store them?
As I'm a very tidy person irl, I always put them into sheds, never leave them on the field, etc.
But I realized that as I'm planning to make this farm like yours, I would be needing a lot of machinery which probably won't fit the existing sheds and there is not much space to put more. So, I've decided to leave them where they are and search for them whenever I need them. So far it works great It is fun to look around for some tools. I think I'm tired of being tidy.

Well of course, there's nothing like having a proper 64 ha field.

That thing is huge. I've just completed combining 28-31 and put soybeans on it.
For now, I can't even imagine combining 21-25 and working on it.
It would be a challenge. But I'll do it.

I do have Holmer, but I use it as manure spreadear and slurry-cultivator, mostly on fields close to the farm, occasionally somewhere else. But I wouldn't try to tow a full Veenhuis with it. It'd be too lazy. Even 550 hp T9 has got what to do with it. It's heavy.

I would have thought so if I've not seen this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMbpTRvZtrQ

You've got time for this? I usually move pallets after receiving the "No more space for placing palettes" message. Yesterday in the middle of harvest, I just bumped them away with a nearby Fendt 300.

Sure, I make time for it because I like wool and my fluffy sheep Like you love your pigz
I use a skidsteet. Work fine for now.
Can you give me a clue? Is the wool trigger at ANM big enough to sell wool on a BsM Semi-Bale 50000/6 in one go?
If not, I'll try to find another trailer for the job.

So now you know, you can safely click the spoiler button, I'm gonna finish harvesting sunflower, feed it to the pigs and finally sell some. I wanna keep them at around 15 000.

The stats are as expected but what really got me is the time you play since yesterday.
Your last post is less then 24hrs ago and you said that you are a bit over 400hrs.
And now less then 24hrs time you have 414 You just play FS17 whenever you can don't you? Like me. If you have time it means there is only one thing to do.

I would really like to see your farm. And as you are in Czech Republic we don't too much to work on time zones.
What do you say? Btw, I don't even know if you can open an existing save game to MP. Never played MP.

[masterplan]

Yes convenience and effcient work is good but I like picking up the eggs and selling them in mass.
But I couldn't be able to live that dream of "selling at least 1000 eggs in one go" yet because I didn't spend enough time in any map to do this.
However, I'm confident that I'll do this time on Lawfolds.

On the bale part, I like baling. But up to a degree. Because it can become frustrating too quickly and as you know we are limited to 200 in consoles.
So, I'll do baling at some point but just for fun probably. Not for the sake of the farm.

I'm not even sure where hens are. Somewhere near sheep I guess?

I think it's better to play one map for a long time. Just imagine all the time put to merge fields, delete forests etc. Simply to make the map to your liking. Why quit then?

Baling might be fun, but I've no use for bales. It would just make things more complicated for me.

There is one thing I want to ask you though. What do you do with your machinery? Where do you store them?
As I'm a very tidy person irl, I always put them into sheds, never leave them on the field, etc.
But I realized that as I'm planning to make this farm like yours, I would be needing a lot of machinery which probably won't fit the existing sheds and there is not much space to put more. So, I've decided to leave them where they are and search for them whenever I need them. So far it works great It is fun to look around for some tools. I think I'm tired of being tidy.

A point well made! Of course each machinery and equipment has it's place under the roof. Better to show you when we connect on PSN. Like you saw in the previous screenshot, below the pigs instead of the forest I keep manure spreaders and Veenhuis slurry tanks as well as Holmer, because they stink, so I won't keep them on the main farm. I keep Zunhammers on the main farm though.
There are a few exceptions though. They are the huge Bromar augers, big Big Bud + Flexi-coil cultivator + Seed hawk being stationary in the open north of field 23. They're just for this one big field, I never move them anywhere. Took me a lot of effort to get them there. And the Holmer beet picker is in the open near the beet pile as you can see on the previous screenshot.

That thing is huge. I've just completed combining 28-31 and put soybeans on it.
For now, I can't even imagine combining 21-25 and working on it.
It would be a challenge. But I'll do it.

You want a challenge? Merge them and put potatoes there. And no, I haven't done that. In fact I did potatoes only once back on GCV and never again. But I did plant barley on this one and spent 3 hours just picking up the straw. And I picked only as much as I really needed, definitelly not all, like 60 %.

I would have thought so if I've not seen this video.

Looks working. I might try it one day, but I just like towing it with a T9 and use Holmer on fields with limited space between field and fence.

Sure, I make time for it because I like wool and my fluffy sheep Like you love your pigz
I use a skidsteet. Work fine for now.
Can you give me a clue? Is the wool trigger at ANM big enough to sell wool on a BsM Semi-Bale 50000/6 in one go?
If not, I'll try to find another trailer for the job.

Well that makes sense. And besides moving palettes, your life is easier as sheep need nothing. Just give 'em water and a bit of grass or hay. Plus you're more real life as RL Lawfolds is famous for it's sheep farming.
You mean the new semi-flatbad by BsM? Yeah I got it for palettes as well. I love it's straps, very handy. Btw. I accidently bumped into it recently and one palette was not tied down and fell behind the fence. So I guess it's gonna stay there forever.
And to answer your question: no. You have to be there while selling and move it a bit. It's definitelly too long for it. In fact before I used the red mod flatbed for 11 000 - you had move it as well while selling.

Your last post is less then 24hrs ago and you said that you are a bit over 400hrs.
And now less then 24hrs time you have 414 You just play FS17 whenever you can don't you? Like me. If you have time it means there is only one thing to do.

That's quite easy to explain. The last statz with 397 hours are from 2017-07-28 14:42:49, whereas the one posted today is yesterday evening. I played quite a lot over the weekend.
You know the thing is I'm a huge rock music fan. I love listening to my CDs. But what to do, when you listen to a CD? Well, farming!

I would really like to see your farm. And as you are in Czech Republic we don't too much to work on time zones.
What do you say? Btw, I don't even know if you can open an existing save game to MP. Never played MP.

No problem, we'll connect.
Yep, you can start a MP on existing save, no problem. Both sides must have the same DLCs and mods. I think when you attempt to join my session, the game tells you exactly which mods you don't have.